Jack Butland can't wait to test himself against quality German opposition over the next four days as preparations peak for the big kick-off on August 12.

Butland says this evening's game against St Pauli - and particularly Saturday's trip to big-spending Leipzig - should just about top off Stoke's pre-season programme in fitting style.

“You don't want to keep playing against the same kind of teams," said Stoke's number one.

“We want to test ourselves against different opposition and tough opposition and they will be two very different games.

“Leipzig will probably be the toughest one of pre-season. They will be well on their way to getting ready for the season, as we will be, and it will be a case of nailing down what we want to do and that will be a real sign of where we are at.

So looking forward to the two games and hoping we come out with a couple of wins.

“Personally speaking, I feel great. I've played three 90-minute games and the ankle feels great."

He's anticipating more shot-stopping action than on Saturday at Bolton when he was left helpless by a speculative goal and pulled off just one genuine save of note.

Asked if he could have done with more to do, he quipped: “I've had a fair few of those while I've been playing for this club anyway. But no, a lot of the work we do is in training anyway.

“It's important you apply the mental side of it and I would like to think we are going to be solid and there's going to be games like (Bolton) where I'm not going to have a lot to do, and it's going to be a save in the 86th minute like Bolton that you need to pull out.

“They are just as pleasing as making 10, 15 saves. I want us to be dominating games and not have much to do, that's a sign of a good team and that's what I want to be a part of."

As ever, he has already scrutinised his role in the goal against Bolton when Adam Le Fondre's speculative shot over his shoulder sailed beyond the helpless England keeper.

“They only had a couple of shots on target but that was about it," he reflected. “We had a lot of the play, looked really solid and getting players 90 minutes so close to the season is important.

“We didn't deserve to go 1-0 down, but it was a good wake-up call and it was really pleasing to come back and win the game.

“I had a look at it (Bolton's goal), seen if my positioning was all right... and it was. It's gone in off the underside of the bar and the post and there's not really a lot you can do about that.

“It was a bit of a kick in the teeth, but I was really pleased with how we came back to win the game."

A relatively quiet afternoon gave Butland a chance to assess events in front of him on Saturday when Stoke deployed a three-man central defence and wing backs.

“I think we had a great balance in general," he observed. “I thought our defence was really solid and we dealt with everything they threw at us.

“They only scored with a speculative effort, one you've got to hold your hands up to.

“The midfield balance and rotation was also really good and obviously Fletch (Darren Fletcher) and Joe (Allen) orchestrating that to give it to the boys up front.

Darren Fletcher has impressed Butland and Co in pre-season

“And we want the likes of Bojan, Joselu and Mame (Diouf) to be hungry to come on (as subs) and produce the performances they did.

“We ticked a lot of boxes and got the win, a really good feeling, and hopefully we can carry that into the two games in Europe."

As for two-goal Joselu, Butland wouldn't mind him extending his Stoke career into a third year amid on-going chatter about a return to Spain.

“That's the thing with Jossie, he comes up with goals," said Butland. “He's had a tough time of it. He's had to make the move, he's had injuries, he's had to go back and forth to Spain.

“So it's tough for him, but we all know what kind of player he is and it would be brilliant to see him find some kind of form.

“I'd love to see him a part of what we are doing, but I don't know what his ambitions are, or what the club's plans are for him.

“But if he keeps coming up with goals for us, then obviously we'd want to keep him around."